From page to screen. . .Danielle Nussbaum pays tribute to the smart girls of The Hunger Games.

The leading ladies of The Hunger Games may battle it out in the arena—except for Katniss's little sister, Prim—but offscreen, they have a lot in common. It helps that filming involved intense training. "We ended up bonding over it," says Isabelle Fuhrman, fourteen, who plays ruthless Tribute Clove. "They would bench-press me as a workout," says Amandla Stenberg, thirteen, fan-fave Tribute Rue. "I was one of their favorite weights!" And, of course, the girls are all die-hard fans. "For my audition, my mom rolled my clothes in mud and put twigs in my hair," says Amandla. "When I got to [the director's] nice house, I had to make sure not to sit on anything! "

"I read the series thirteen times!" says Isabelle. "I said to my mom, '[Auditioning] is like The Hunger Games. I'm going to win and be in this movie.' "

"It reignited my love for reading," says Leven Rambin, 21, who plays glam career Tribute Glimmer. In fact, they're all really into books. Amandla and Isabelle both have their number ones—A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and The
Neverending Story, respectively—but Willow Shields, eleven, who plays Prim, can't seem to choose. "My favorite author is Tera Lynn Childs," she explains. "But I love The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate, by Jacqueline Kelly."

Another obsession? Movies. We get only a taste of the gritty cinematography in the trailer, but it's closer to Leven's top pick—Antwone Fisher—than the dreamy Hugo, which Willow loves. And Isabelle and Amandla? Huge The Devil Wears Prada fans.

"As an actress you have to mold to the role," says Leven. True, but if she weren't Glimmer, which part would she have wanted? "Peeta," she says, without hesitation. "It's a cool duplicity: He has to maintain a front with careers and not offend Katniss. And also be this confident showman." Isabelle chooses Haymitch: "It'd be a challenge. He's hiding a lot more than he lets on." And Amandla? "I liked Rue and Foxface, but after shooting and seeing Isabelle in action, I think Clove's character is really cool." A sweet sentiment until she adds, laughing, "Even though she's totally menacing."